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Long Time, No See
"Long Time, No See" is an EU thread. Summary Full Text The Empress: 'The mountains were looming ever closer, the natural border between Aidoran’s thriving central areas and the badlands. The three demon’s Zol was traveling with assured her Nala was here though, on the South side of the mountain range near the coast. Giant orange and yellow mushrooms sprouted from sandstone cliffs, carved out by the tide. Marsh flats and sandy beaches all came together to form a peculiar landscape. H’zola rode atop her wyrm, following the direction of the Viceroy. His direction constant, urging them further Northeast. Her mind raced with the tension, she had no idea how her daughter would react upon her return but today was the day she would get to find out. '''The Demons: '''Phijo was perched on the Caesar’s back, legs crossed and arms folded behind her head and on her stomach. Shi’pai trotted excitedly forth towards the mountains, kicking up splashes of cool shallow water whenever he crossed a river or a pond, always looking back to make sure he wasn’t going too fast for H’zola’s wyrm. The Viceroy had declined a ride; he felt as though it would be rather undignified, especially if Shi’pai got too excited. But he was feeling a bit disconnected and loose in the joints after traveling so far; he would need to see his brother about fixing the wire tensions in his body. He wasn’t built for stamina. The sun warmed his bone crest and faceplate and he tilted back to face the heavens, closing his eyes and stretching his limbs. The air was clear; the weather was wonderful. He had a good feeling about this. They drew within a few miles of the cliffs ahead before long, and the terrain grew a little drier and rougher closer to the base. Even from here, the Viceroy could sense the narrow opening that led to their family’s refuge. He turned his long neck to look over his shoulder, peering at his grandmother. ''You are nervous? “Şhe s͝ho͞u͜ld̷ be,” Phijo noted boredly, rolling over on the Caesar’s back to gaze back at them, picking her teeth with a claw. “Mot̶h͜e͏ŕ bla͝sts̢ i̶n͜tr͘ud̵e͜r҉s͠ t̀o͝ ̧ti͠ņy̡ bits. A̷n͢d ҉the͘n͜ ҉sh̴e ̨b͟la͢sts͞ ̸t͜hę ̸''bit̨s ''to̵ ̷tìn͝y͞ ̵b̸i͘t͜s.” '''She does not do that! “Ḑoes to̵o͏!͠ “ The Empress: '“Apprehensive would be a better word, dear child. The Nala I knew was never very forgiving, and I’ve been gone a long time.” Zol idly cast motes of light that trailed off behind her as her wyrm carried her forward. Soon they were coming under what were almost canopies of mushroom clusters, the sun shining like beams through the cracks bouncing off the constant mist of the nearby sea. “But nervous could be suitable as well, if things go as poorly as I predict. Are we close, then?” '''The Demons: '''Nyctyph’s wires slid and clicked together. ''I have reasonably high hopes. The face of the cliff was within sight. Shi’pai, would you get the door? I can get the door, the demon agreed cheerfully, loping forward and stepping over a few rocks that were taller than most men. The sandstone was intersected with many crags carved by time and weather, and they were in front of the largest of them all, a dark vertical fissure that cut from the ground to straight above their heads, hundreds of feet tall. It was impressive, but did not look at all like a feasible doorway. But as the demons approached, they could feel a hum of energy protecting the entire wall of beige and coppery stone. The Caesar drew close and pressed his essence to the ward, humming deeply. There was the faintest ripple along the rocks and then a large section of the wall warped and became transparent, revealing a dark hallway illuminated by small rays of light from the sun above. The protection muffles our essences to the outside world, Nyctyph said in a low voice as they passed through the opening. None but a very powerful entity could know what was inside, let alone enter. '''The Empress: '''A chill ran down H’zola’s spine as they neared her youngest daughter. Her mind fell back to the last time they saw each other, after the deaths of two of her siblings. She felt a small pulse of what remained of their essence, Igl and Kiaama, floating in her own. The hallway was barren, the low light even harder to see in with the dappled sunlight peeking through. She remained silent as they traveled further in, eventually dismounting from her mount. The unease and apprehension growing in her thoughts. '''The Warden: '''The darkness eventually opened up into an enormous, broad circular room that was incredibly tall; the walls led straight up into the outside, where there was a large opening in the stone that allowed the sun to stream in, shimmering off of the same magic barrier that held outside the door. The ground was a mottled mix of large flagstones, every shade of deep ombre and light sand combined in swirling patterns across the floor. There were several archways that led to various other chambers, all tall enough for even the Caesar to move with ease. There were echoes of a conversation rippling out of one of the openings, and Shi’pai perked up and crooned at the familiar sounds as Phijo leaped off his back and landed with a crouch, dusting off her arms. “Moo̶o̶othe̴r,͜ ͜we͢'r̨e ̢b҉aa̴a͜aack̵,̸” she called out, her voice bouncing off the sandstone walls. The conversation rose quickly and excitedly before ending, and sounds of footsteps echoed down the hallway. A presence began to emerge, full of warmth and curiosity, but also a sense of puzzlement. The footsteps grew louder and the Viceroy clicked his limbs against his main body nervously. Finally, from the shadow of the archway, Nalaagura Ep’ha emerged, violet eyes searching, her essence flowing around her shoulders in a kaleidescope of blues, purples and deep reds, horns tall and curved and more numerous. Her mind reached out towards her children and she greeted them in a resonant, joyful voice: '''I did not expect you back so soon, Shi’pai, Nyctyph; it is wonderful to see you! Phijo as well, I am relieved you are safe. I hope all went well. Her mind shifted to the mortal standing in their midst and she tilted her head, stepping closer, bewildered at why her offspring had brought her with them. If I may ask who this is, I believe we have not met bef… She let her words drift off, reaching for the mortal’s mind. Something’s…familiar… The Empress: '''H’zola choked up, standing before Nalaagura, in slight awe of who she had grown to be over the decades. Her eyes welled up slightly as she gingerly stepped closer to her tall form. “''M'cl iep'b ao fnghr h'rni d'mpvrhlg ez gmhr, n hlm'g mjehrlg wn'lsl zgea oep he…” ''Her hand trembled as she spoke, she was so afraid of hurting one of her only surviving children. “My daughter of Wrath…” '''The Warden: '''A powerful wave of realization thundered through the Warden, and she froze where she stood, her essence falling to midnight blue. Her mind cycled through every possible alternate scenario but the truth lay before her, in the daemon tongue, in her children’s trust, in the very presence she could now feel lay inside the woman’s mind, something so foreign, but so, so familiar. Her somewhat-outstretched hand fell to her side and heat and cold both battled inside of her, making her tremble. Her gaze lifted to the three demons behind her mother. '''Leave us. Phijo, Nyctyph and Shi’pai wasted no time skirting around their mother and disappearing into a few different hallways. The Viceroy paused and looked over his shoulder for a moment before disappearing. Nala struggled to gain control of herself and turned around, walking a few paces away, her face hidden. A faint shimmer of heat glowed around the edges of her faceplate. So…you’ve come back, she stated in a shaking voice, though with emotion or anger even Nala herself did not know. It’s…been…a very long time. The Empress: '''“An understatement, my child. It’s been too long, and that responsibility is entirely my own.” H’zola withdrew herself from her mortal body, letting her full astral form stand behind her daughter. She shimmered under a rainbow of colors, blue being the more prominent. “It was, difficult to find you. Difficult to find myself.” She looked at Nala to get any sort of reaction, but she remained silent and facing away. “I’d been looking for rumors of anything for the past few years, as to your whereabouts. But it’s no excuse… I should have returned… I wasn’t here for you.” H’zola stopped and stared at her daughter’s form '''The Warden: '''Nala’s hands balled into fists. There was a slight hissing noise, and for a moment, she remained motionless. '''SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!! A pulse of scarlet energy cracked the ground at Nala’s feet and she whirled around, glaring straight into her mother’s eyeless face, her essence boiling into bloodred. A few veins in her neck steamed and glowed amber with heat. She threw her mind at H’zola’s, not to attack, but to force her to see Nala’s feelings, her memories, the confusion, the rage, the raw ache of loneliness and the sting of wondering what she had done wrong. It took you almost a millennia to come around! You left us here! You left me here! Nearly everyone I cared about is dead ''now! '''Her hand slashed through the air, hot with energy. Dust trickled from the ceiling and the walls, brought on by her tirade, but she hardly noticed. She was caught up in a fit of fury brought all the way from her years as a hotheaded youth. It was almost relieving to explode like this. H’zola had already taken the blame but it wasn’t enough for her. '''Do you even ''know what I have had to deal with!? How could you!? The least you could’ve done was…said…you would come back…! Her shoulders slumped and started shaking, and she lifted a hand to cover her face and hugged herself with the other, seeming to collapse inside herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, angry tears streaming down her faceplate. You didn’t even say goodbye… The Empress: '''H’zola held up a solitary hand, dissipating the flares of energy bombarding around her. “No, I did not.” Her astral form coalesced into a stronger and more vibrant form, glowing orange and spouting of motes of golden amber. “I left you alone because I was a hollow shell of who I was before. The being left after the deaths of your siblings was not something I am proud of. But I do not stand here trying to justify myself to your tirade.” H’zola flung a tendril of emotion into Nala in rebuttal. “You were not the only one to suffer, yes you cared for them but the deceased of our kin were a physical part of me Nalaagura.” The tendril bored into her daughter, releasing a fraction of the agony she felt as each child died. She returned to a cold purple hued with cobalt as she spoke, shrinking in size around her host. '''The Warden: '''The onslaught of rage left Nala shaking and slightly weary and she winced at the pulses of pain, mere shadows and recollections of her mother. She was right. H’zola was far more connected to her children than Nalaagura ever could have been, given her young age. '''I…I understand. Her instincts roared for even more anger to be released, but she pulled her emotions into check with difficulty and slowly stepped forward, stirring the white wisps of steam that rose from the cracked stone. Her body paused and her astral form kept walking, the hot scarlet dying into a warm violet, and she looked up tentatively from the ground and reached out cautiously with her mind. I missed you, 'she said quietly. '''The Empress: '“I know… We are still connected, however loosely.” White lights flickered around the room as her form returned to to its host. A long deep inhale filled the silence, you could see her body tense as her muscles stretched from the sensation of being reunited again. H’zola opened her eyes and left a longing gaze at the form across the chamber. She strode forward, tentatively, pausing only inches in front of her youngest daughter. “I have missed you dearly, Nalaagura.” Her arms wrapped around Nala’s waist in a tight embrace. '''The Warden: '''Nala bent down and hugged her mother close, shutting her eyes tightly. From the doorway her children had disappeared into, Shi’pai and Nyctyph peered from the shadows, both heaving a simultaneous sigh, immensely relieved at the result of the meeting. The Warden leaned back and held her mother’s host’s hands, small and leathered, in her own large bone-and-tendon ones. '''Where did you find such a vessel? '''she jibed, amusement creeping back into her voice. '''She looks as though she is deteriorating into nothing a walking corpse. The Empress: '''“Careful, little one, I can still tie you into a knot.” H’zola released Nala from her grasp. She turned, giving a sideways glance to their observers. “Nala, I assume your home has more to it than just an entryway and a main chamber.” She paused, trailing off her sentence to make it sound almost like a question. “I should quite like to see it.” '''The Warden: '''Nalaagura followed her gaze to the doorway and her eyes curved into a smile. '''Come, children. Everything is fine. How were your travels? The Caesar skipped forward, tongue lolling, twice his mother’s height, and his brother followed, a few of of his snakelike appendages trailing on the ground from their long journey north. Less than fruitful, excepting our grandmother, Nyctyph said crisply. Shi’pai and myself managed to track him and keep him away from the eastern capital without direct confrontation, but then the two of us were separated and I was forced to abandon his trail. Any damage he may have caused after that point, I do not know of, as we picked up on the adventure that led us here. Slippery as always, Nala murmured darkly. We will find him again. For now, let us see Ganmonah so we may fix your body, he is the only one home at the moment. Come, mother, he will be delighted to make your acquaintance. 'The small group of demons traveled through the rightmost doorway, following a twisting corridor with walls of banded color, layers that led far above their heads into shadow. '''The Empress: '''H’zola stepped softly over the stone floors, listening intently to her youngest daughter speaking to what were technically her grandchildren. Her races genealogy was hardly comparable to that of mortals but they still referred to it in their terminology. “And I would be delighted as well, your children have yet to do justice to describing their siblings. So much more interesting to meet in the flesh, so to speak.” She gave a small chuckle, she was happier and more at peace than she had been in years. As they passed through the corridors, H’zola began to speak tentatively. “I’ve been doing some digging, trying to find out the fates of your siblings, who else has survived into this age with us. Besides Igl, Lhaugtigg, and Kiaama, I’ve only ran into dead ends.” '''The Warden: '''The Viceroy glanced at his grandmother with a mixture of indignation and faint amusement. Nala looked at her in surprise, the twist of her posture causing her essence to swirl around her. '''I have not heard from most of them in many, many years… '''Scarlet sparks pulsed through the violet and her eyes narrowed. '''Kelzsam met his end at the hands of myself and Zsilelac, for he had attempted to slaughter the rebellion as they lived in Hel’s chambers and attacked our family. Beyond that…your estimates of their whereabouts are as correct as mine. ' '''The Empress: '''H’zola caught the Viceroy’s glance and gave a sly wink in response, before continuing to follow her daughters entourage through the hall. “Well, I have a couple of potential leads, rumors that are probably more dead ends. There’s an area of the Aaum peaks where the wildlife behave strangely, as though possessed, or so the the whispers of the taverns say. I was considering returning to Bloedrest to see what had become of our home…” She trailed off as they turned a corner in the hall. '''The Warden: A demon it may be, but there are many entities not of our kin that still roam the world, she mused. They drew near to a large circular doorway that was covered in a rippling blue barrier, and a few flashes of light could be seen through the sheer layer of magic. Ganmonah! We have a guest. Oh? The barrier shuddered, and several large holes appeared in it, expanding until it dissipated completely. Clanking footsteps echoed from the chamber beyond and a tall, lanky figure appeared, most of his body clothed in a long robe, obscuring his legs and feet. His face and eyes were mechanical and full of complex detail; they immediately focused and adjusted to the sight of the withered human standing in the midst of his family. My goodness! he exclaimed. I assumed you were another one of those long-dead souls from Hel that mother keeps bringing to visit, but here you are, true as life! What a change, what a change. The Scribe’s unusually long neck craned down to peer at her. Ganmonah, at your service. You must be very important, very much so, for Mother to interrupt me in my important work… Ganmonah, you have been attempting the same experiment for weeks now, Nala said in exasperation. Company of any type would do you well. The Empress: '''H’zola gave a courteous but slight bow when she was under Ganmonah’s scrutiny, the beads in her hair clacking slightly with the motion.. “What, dare I ask, are you experimenting on?” She asked as she made a few tentative steps to enter the strange demons workshop, basking in the presence of her surroundings. '''The Warden: Transmutation! he blurted, eyes shining, lifting his hands to tap his fingers together in excitement, the joints clicking and moving sinuously. The Viceroy sighed and looked to the heavens, shaking his head slightly. The changing of one physical material to another through magic is yet beyond our grasp–for now!! He blinked curiously as the human stepped inside but was quickly caught up in the excitement of explaining his work again. Shi’pai cocked his head as the four of them entered the room, wagging his tail briefly before turning and romping back into the lair. The room beyond appeared to be some sort of elaborate laboratory. The walls inside had been sanded so finely that they appeared as opaque glass, their color warped with bright splashes of vibrant teal and orange in the shapes of small accidental sprays and gradients from exposure to heat and various elements. The place was lit by many thick glass globes full of iridescent white flame, fused to the walls. Inside several cavities were shelves stuffed with flasks and containers and samples of oddities from around the area. The main room they entered was dominated by a large table with many tall and complicated yet delicate instruments set up around it. Currently, a complex array of apparatus was occupying the surface, surrounding a large chunk of glittering, multifaceted metal. Several papers and metal sheets with daemon scribbles were scattered on the scuffed surface. There were many other doorways leading to other similar chambers, in which one could see dark, faded shapes through the partially translucent walls. A faint, sterile, saline smell hung in the air. Progress has been…less than favorable, Ganmonah admitted, quickly moving forward and shuffling the documents into something resembling a neat stack. As Mother mentioned, I have been at work for quite some time. But I am getting nearer! I can sense it! His amber essence sparked with an excited fervor. Wonderful indeed, Nyctyph said dryly. Would you kindly quite your fiddling about and fix my body, please? I have other matters to attend to. He gently slung his broken tendrils out in front of him and the Scribe hurried forward to have a look. Nalaagura looked at H’zola with shining eyes. He works very hard, she said proudly. He is the one who manufactured our bodies. He was very interested in my memories of Igl’s work, and the remnant of her records and creations. ''' '''The Empress: '''H’zola perked up at the mention of Igl, before muttering and tearing open one of the satchels attached to her waste. There was clinking and clattering, a cacophony of noise as she dug through the bag. After rifling what seemed to be more articles than should be contained in a bag of that size she pulled out a leather pouch about the size of a fist that made a small chiming noise. “A-ha, a gift, if you will. At the very least something to study.” She looked for an empty tablespace nearby and turned to Ganmonah, gesturing to the spot she found. “May I, dear sir?” '''The Warden: '''The Scribe perked up, fixing his gaze curiously on her bag while he looked up from Nyctyph’s body, his long fingers shifting like switchblades through various odd-looking tools. '''Of course, of course! Be my guest. The Empress: '''H’zola’s face twisted into a toothy grin that took up most of her face. She gently shook the contents of the pouch onto the table. “The organic matter has long since decayed, but these are the remaining pieces of the hand. The rest of the pieces lost to the ocean and the sands.” The ceramic-like pieces had an unearthly tone as they came to rest on the stone surface. She looked to Nalaagura as she let the pieces come to rest, giving her a sly wink. '''The Warden: '''Nala’s eyes curved up in a smile and she dipped her head briefly. Ganmonah quickly reassembled his hands as the Viceroy stood up, quickly pacing over and craning his neck down to inspect her gift. He tapped a metallic seam next to his eye and a magnifying lens slid out with a click and he carefully selected one of the fingers, manipulating it with delicate fingers and inspecting the handiwork. He caught his breath, combing through the other pieces and carefully arranging them flat on the table, creating the semblance of a taloned porcelain hand far bigger than his own and possibly bigger than the Warden’s. The ligaments were dried and crumbling but they still faintly held to the cracked white porcelain, testament to the original creator’s skill. '''By the gods past… His eyes widened and he looked up at the old woman in awe. Where did you get this!? How? It is such a small sample, but if I am not mistaken it comes from the Shaper herself! '''Nala chuckled to herself in the background. '''Where did you find it? The Empress: '''“Well, it was given to me, a long while ago.” H’zola was positively beaming as she spoke. “One of my daughters gave it to me, and it is one of my most treasured possessions.” She looked up into Ganmonah’s eyes, gazing deeply into them, a violet flicker shone in her pupils. “She made it herself.” '''The Warden: '''It took less than a second for the Scribe to make the connection, but his bewilderment overwhelmed him and left his speech in sputtering fragments. '''You–y–wh–I do–imp–h–!? His eyes bugged and he madly shook his hands, not even knowing what to do with himself. Nala finally couldn’t help herself and gave a full-throated laugh. Her son whirled around to stare at her in horror. You knew!? he nearly shrieked.' And you let me blather on like an idiot in front of her!?! Mother!!' Nala tried recovering from her fit, covering the lower half of her face, shoulders shaking. Come now, '''she chuckled, '''how would I have brought it up? You could have ''warned me!!' ''His flailing reduced itself to playing nervously with his fingers, turning in shock to his grandmother. '''H-H’zola, I…gracious gods in Hel…is it really you? The Empress: '“It really is, young one.” H’zola reached her mind out, flicking a tendril of memories of ages long since past. She began showing the young demon bits and pieces of Igl’s workshop, the construction of Bloedrest, and Nala’s birth. She gave a contented sigh after those brief moments she let the flashes of memories pass between them. “Maybe if you stay on my good side, we can recover my armor. It should still be hidden away, even after all these years.” H’zola turned and smiled to her youngest daughter. “It seems you remember how much I enjoy these fickle games.” '''The Warden: '''Ganmonah nodded eagerly, fishing in his robes and pulling out a metal tablet on which he began rapidly inscribing details of her memories, the stylus tip flying across the surface. The young archdemon finished chuckling, smiling at her mother. '''As enigmatic as ever, Mother. Ah, they used to annoy me…but I suppose age has given me the same humor now. ' Has your body really survived so long? Nyctyph inquired from where he had been silently watching the proceedings. Mother’s looks like it’s been through the harshest fields of Valhalla and back. '''Yes, you should see for yourself. The years have not been kind to it without my sister’s repairs, Nala confirmed, gesturing for the small group to follow her further into the lab. The Empress: '''“My armor is a unique piece Igl crafted for me that attunes to my essence without organic material, completely different from my body which you now have the only remaining pieces.” H’zola offered up as she followed Nalaagura and the rest further back. “It’s sealed deep within vaults and puzzle doors of Bloedrest. I don’t expect it to have been plundered yet, but the mortals of this realm continue to surprise me.” She trailed off as she thought back to her favorite interactions with the humans and half-breeds through the ages. '''The Warden: Hopefully the only further use that will come from it would be another war of the gods, Nala noted somberly, approaching another door with the same astral barrier as the entryway. She lifted a hand and the energy dissolved, and inside the room, two more bright globes flared into being, casting their light on a stone sepulchre with a foggy glass covering cut into rectangular segments. They slid back on each other in a telescoping fashion as Nala pushed the rim back, revealing the prone body of her old physical form. It was severely cracked and worn from countless years and endless fights–the faceplate had a jagged split charred with black crossing the chipped, dull porcelain, both horns had the tips missing, the right side of the ribcage was smashed in and it was missing a different finger on each hand. The frayed ends of long-deteriorated tendons splayed limply around the toughened muscles. Its eyes were closed and the essence around its shoulders and horns was faded and dull, stirring lightly with the passing of the lid like heavy fog. The double swords, dulled with age, lay at its sides. Nala’s gaze rested longingly on the broken body; she reached out with gentle fingers to stroke the cracked cheekbones, bone clicking softly against porcelain. So many memories lay within this form and they came flooding back, especially with the recent reunion with her Mother. Her essence turned dark violet with faint amber threads as she reminisced. Her thumb touched the edge of the massive crack in the face and she winced slightly at the dark energy that still simmered within it. Her soul throbbed in pain and a low anger for the creature that had caused it. An inky blue-black stain pulsed across her astral hand and she removed it carefully, caressing it to her chest until the darkness settled. The other demons watched her respectfully and she came back to the present with a mental twitch. It’s been so long, she said quietly, almost apologetically. For what she has been through, it is in remarkably good shape, the Scribe piped up, still making quiet notes without looking at his hands. I have studied it thoroughly, and Mother has given me every memory she has about its workings. The Shaper’s work is quite familiar to me now. It was through studying this body and the remnants of her stitchers that I was able to gain my knowledge of creating shells suitable for demons to reside in. ' '''The Empress: '“And you’ve done a marvelous job Ganmonah, my grandchildren are an impressive bunch to see.” H’zola’s smiled gleamed through again, pushing up the wrinkles under her eyes. The elder demon reached out and gently held the arm of Nalaagura. “You have been through so much my child, and so much of it is my fault.” A saddened somber look overcame her face. “But I’m here now to help in any way that I can.” '''The Warden: '''Nala dipped her head and lay her hand over her mother’s. '''Thank you. Her essence warmed again and she closed the lid after a brief moment, obscuring her old, resting face. For the hundredth time, she turned over the happenings of the past several hundred years, musing on whether to share with her mother what had happened, but she swept it to the side again. Later. She took a breath and turned away from the container. What do you plan to do now, Mother? The Empress: '''“Well, now that I’ve found you, the next pressing matter is the location of your siblings. I planned on leaving to Bloedrest to get some answers, and acquire my armor.” H'zola gave a small stretch and winced. “This human is becoming quite frail of late and I should like to think she could spend the last of her days near the quiet of the Capital.” '''The Warden: '''Chuckling, she led the way out of the room and they moved towards the exit of the lab. '''Then we should embark as soon as we can, to allow her peace. Are you willing to depart tomorrow? 'The Empress: '“I would love to, if you would wish to accompany me, my dear.” Her short gait hurried to keep up with Nala. Category:Extended Universe Category:The Empress Category:The Warden Category:The Viceroy Category:The Caesar Category:The Witch Category:The Scribe